Of Love and Death
by BloodAngelsFan11
Summary: The ninja world is ruled by hate and violence… Happiness is hard-earned, love yet harder to keep. It's a beautiful thing when the light shines through. Yet all light creates darkness. So come… let me tell you a tale of love and death… M for future content
1. Chapter 1

**Hey Everybody!**

**If you read my last Naruto story you'll know how Naruto and Hinata got together, if not then it doesn't really matter; hopefully you can enjoy the story regardless. **

* * *

Hyuuga Hinata whimpered as she pressed against the nearest source of warmth, the chill in the air causing her body to become cold. She was not awake, not truly; just enough to register her discomfort. She relaxed and began to fall back into a deep sleep as she felt a comforting hand rub the small of her back.

With a contented sigh she teetered on the edge of consciousness until an amused laugh got her attention. She blinked once and noticed the light streaming through her eyelashes. She stubbornly shut her eyes again and pressed her face into a pillow.

She heard the laugh again followed by a whisper. "Hinata-hime, get up!"

She groaned and replied, her voice muffled by the fabric over her face. "It's too early! Give me another hour."

She suddenly felt two strong hands begin to rub her shoulders and back, causing her to moan slightly. She jerked her head up from its resting place, in turn removing the hands from theirs. "N-naruto-kun, stop it!"

She turned onto her back and glared as the blonde jinchuuriki began laughing. "Come on Hime, you didn't mind yesterday."

She blushed as she remembered the events of the previous night. _Don't think about it! Now that you're up you have to get going. _"Okay Koishii, I'm up."

"Well I needed to make sure you woke up; didn't you say you were training with Team Eight today?"

_That's what it's about! How long does he think it takes me to get ready? _"Naruto-kun, my training session is at ten o'clock."

He pointed to the alarm on her side of the bed. "And it's nine thirty now."

"You let me sleep that late?"

"Well, you looked so adorable sleeping that I didn't want to ruin the moment."

He still managed to make her blush when he talked about her like he did. "Arigato, Naruto-kun."

She made to stand up, but stopped once she made it to the edge of the bed. She quickly yanked the blanket off of her knuckleheaded lover and wrapped it around herself before she made for the twin dressers on the other side of the room. When she reached the one which contained her clothes she smiled to herself; that piece of furniture had been part of his plan to get her to move in. She quickly grabbed her usual attire when she heard a disappointed groan from the bed.

"Come on Hinata! We've been sleeping together for two months and you're still shy about me seeing you naked. I've seen what you look like, you're beautiful! It's cruel to hide it!"

She blushed and rushed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. It was true; no matter how much he complimented her or how many times they… did certain activities under the covers… she always felt nervous and shy about her body. That's why she wore her jacket, her beloved jacket. She never wore it around Naruto, she wasn't that shy, but she always wore it around other people. _Especially Kiba_. She had caught Kiba staring more than once and couldn't bring herself to give a better view.

Folding the blanket and setting it aside Hinata slowly dressed and looked at herself in the mirror. She felt a bit more confident as she looked; maybe Naruto wasn't lying to make her feel better?

She nodded before slipping on her clothes and opening the door to find a sad-looking Naruto before her. "Koishii, what's wrong?"

His lower lip was pushed out in a pout as he said "I was hoping you'd forget something and would come out without something."

"Naruto-kun!"

His sad pout turned into a fox-like grin as he gave her a quick kiss. "Go enjoy training, Hime."

"Have fun doing… whatever you do when I'm not around, Koishii."

He pretended to be hurt. "I'll let you know that I do have life besides you!"

She rolled her eyes and walked out the door, not bothering to stop for something to eat.

* * *

Naruto frowned a bit as she walked out the door. Despite his denial he really didn't have much to do when Hinata wasn't around besides train and 'hang out' with the little fan club that had formed around him since Pein's attack. He used to wonder why Sasuke ignored the girls who fawned over him, but now he saw why. Those girls are annoying! The guys were okay, since all they wanted was for him to teach them how to fight or some cool jutsu… or how to get the girls' attention. He weighed his options; sit around bored or be bombarded by fans.

Some part of his mind was yelling at him for it being a stupid decision. He could almost picture a little him shouting '_What the hell! You always wanted people to notice you and now everyone thinks you're awesome! Go man, go!'_

Deciding that little imaginary-him was right Naruto made for a cup of instant ramen to eat before he headed out but found nothing. Hinata had been making him eat healthier since she moved in, much to his dismay. _Hinata better be happy that I chose her over ramen! I think that says a lot!_

Dismally grabbing an apple Naruto began to wander around the street outside his apartment. It was oddly quiet as only a few people were out and about. Shrugging dismissively the blonde continued his aimless meandering, for once enjoying the quiet. Everything was at peace, until a shrill wail split the air. "Naruto-kun!"

He winced internally as a lithe, brown-haired girl ran up to him, her large blue eyes shimmering in adoration. She wore a flattering, somewhat translucent orange shirt and tight black pants after noticing that they were his favorite colors. She was a very outgoing fourteen year old named Karuyaka Mikonotome, and so far she had proven his number one fangirl. She was a nice enough person but she couldn't compare to Hinata.

"Hey, Karu-chan." He may find his fangirls annoying, but he wasn't just going to insult them and give them the cold shoulder for their advances. He just let them down gently and stayed as friendly as he could.

Her teeth dimly sparkled in the morning light, much like Gai's whenever he gave his 'nice guy' pose. "Naruto-kun, where's Hinata?" He was proud of her for almost keeping the excitement out and the civility in her voice.

"She's training with Team Eight, so I have most of the day to myself."

She rejoiced, not entirely internally. "So, do you want to do something? Maybe I could train with you!"

"Karu-chan, are you sure about that? I mean, you've only been out of the Academy for little over a year. Think you can keep up?"

"Hey! I'm a gennin just like you are!" He cast her an incredulous stare until she looked down. "If we aren't sparring, I could just practice throwing kunai or you could help me with my genjutsu, right?"

"If by help you mean let you use your genjutsu on me. I couldn't do those if my life depended on it! But I see your point… Fine, Karu-chan, you can train with me."

This time the younger girl let out a loud squeal of joy as she walked off to spend time with her idol and the object of her affection.

* * *

Hinata casually entered a small forest clearing in Training Ground Eight, her hands thrust in her pockets as she enjoyed the day and let a sense of calm come over her. Life had been good for the past two months; her father had been supporting her with the council and cementing her position as heiress, she had been happily been in a relationship with her long-time crush and lived with him, her sister was doing well in the Academy, and Kurenai's baby was due in a month. She couldn't help but let a smile onto her face.

She looked to her left to see her teammate Aburame Shino his, face unreadable beneath his high-colored coat and his dark glasses, and next to him stood her other teammate Inuzuka Kiba, his face marked with the tattoos characteristic of his clan. On the ground between them lay Kiba's massive dog Akamaru, his soft white fur and lazy posture belying his ferocity and intelligence. The only absence was their sensei, Yuhi Kurenai, yet she was on maternity leave.

She blushed as she noticed Kiba's eyes go down to her chest before the boy quickly corrected himself. She ignored the action and spoke up in a cheerful voice. "So boys, what are we doing today?"

Kiba scowled but he had a teasing light in his eyes. "Hey! I'm not a boy! I'm just as much a man as Naruto…" he gave a lewd smirk as he said, "unless you made a man out of him."

Hinata's eyes widened as she tried to stammer out a denial. "Kiba-kun! Um… I don't want to talk about… um… that."

"But you don't deny it!"

Hinata felt like she wanted to crawl under a rock. She had enough trouble talking when Sakura and Ino dragged it out of her, and they were her best friends… who were girls, more importantly. Talking about it with her male teammate who she sometimes caught leering at her was… uncomfortable. She couldn't, however, bring herself to lie to a boy with whom she'd entrusted her life several times so she bore the embarrassment and moved on.

"Shino-kun, what are we going to do for training today?"

"My colonies are still recovering from fighting during Pein's invasion, so I am letting them return to their full strength."

"Kiba-kun?"

"How about we just spar for a bit then you guys can break for lunch?"

_Remember what Naruto always says, 'Don't hold back, or else no one gets better.' _"Okay Kiba-kun, but if we spar we go all out… with intent to kill."

"What? Hinata why would we do that?"

"If we hold back, then we can't get stronger because we're limiting ourselves." _I hope you're proud, Naruto-kun._

"Okay, Hinata. Let's do this."

"Hai."

Hinata settled into a strong Juuken stance as Kiba bore down on her. The feral looking boy grinned and shouted "**Shikyaku no Jutsu**". His fingernails elongated into sharp claws, and he dropped onto all fours as he came at her with even greater speed. Before the fight started in earnest she activated her kekkei genkai, forming a quick hand seal as she whispered "Byakugan."

In mere seconds her opponent leapt through the air toward her, clawing at her head as he fell to the earth. Hinata waited until the last moment before spinning about on the ball of her foot, easily dodging the attack, all the while keeping her eyes on her teammate and sparring partner.

Landing on his feet the Inuzuka wildly swept at her torso, his increased agility making Hinata rush to block. He continued to swing away, studying her movements as she stopped blocking and had begun evading his attacks. He leapt back while Akamaru run up next to him.

"**Jujin Bunshin!**" In place of the large white beast stood a perfect clone of its owner, an animalistic snarl twisting its lips. With a quick nod the two leapt at her again, forcing her to take up the defensive.

Hinata began to sweat from the effort of avoiding their attacks. _I need to find some way to slow them down! I won't give up Kiba-kun!_

One of the Kibas aimed a kick at her head. She bent backward and watched as the leg soared over her… noticing too late the other kick being aimed at her legs. Just as she felt her legs being swept Hinata placed her hands on the ground behind her, using the momentum of the leg sweep to propel her body. With a pump of her arms the Hyuuga Heiress wheeled backwards and came back to a standing position.

Before her opponents could resume their attack she charged into the breach, sprinting at the duo a sending a swift Juuken strike at the shoulder of the closest boy. She noticed the wince as he blocked the blow, remembering too late the damage the Hyuuga's taijutsu could do even if the blow was halted.

Throwing a kunai at the other one as a distraction she ducked inside Kiba's reach, putting him at a disadvantage while allowing her to exploit her own style. She jammed her fingers into each of his shoulders, closing the tenketsu and slowing his arms. Taking advantage of his less agile punching Hinata retreated back as the second boy charged.

Instead of holding her ground like he would expect, Hinata took a play from Naruto's book and ran as well. Deflecting the surprised attack Hinata slammed her palm into the boy's stomach. She followed up on her success by dropping down and kicking at his legs. He leapt over the intentionally clumsy kick, leaving him suspended in the air while she capitalized with a quick jab into the back of his right knee.

When he landed his weakened leg buckled slightly. He tried to bring his other foot into the side of her head, but his weakened leg couldn't maintain proper balance which caused the kick to go high. She rolled forward, coming to her feet as the Kiba behind her dropped an axe kick where her head had been.

She turned around as the two dog-nin leapt off into the trees surrounding the training ground. With her dojutsu activated she could see them leaping from branch to branch, circling around her as they drew their kunai.

Hinata channeled chakra into her palms, emitting a thin blade of chakra. She began to quickly move her arms around her, reaching to cover every part of her body as she picked up more and more speed. _Faster, faster, faster!_ Her arms eventually moved in a blur as she yelled "**Shugohakke Rokujuyon Sho!**"

The proceeding flurry of kunai deflected harmlessly off of Hinata's technique, the lavender-eyed girl suffering nothing more than depleted chakra reserves. Breathing heavily she dropped her defense, waiting for the moment when her teammate would come out from the trees.

She barely had time to dodge to the side as she heard "**Gatsuga!**" Hinata could almost feel the spiraling mass as it drilled past her. The spiraling pair continued to fly about the clearing, giving no respite to the tiring woman.

Eventually they stopped, Akamaru back in his normal form. Kiba gave a barking laugh, "Well Hinata, you wanted all out with intent to kill. Akamaru! **Dainamikkumakingu!**" The white dog leapt at her, causing her to jump straight back and presenting an easy target for the trail of urine, which splashed onto her jacket.

The dog leapt back to Kiba, his job complete. Kiba formed a rapid series of hand seals before completing the jutsu. "**Jinju Konbi Henge; Sotoro!**" The boy and his dog disappeared in a cloud of smoke which obscured the area. As it cleared a large two-headed wolf stood in their place, its white fur nearly the same color as its massive fangs, contrasting its violent red eyes. With a growl that would have struck fear into many people the massive creature began spinning much like Kiba and Akamaru had before. This time the power behind the attack became evident, as the speed increased exponentially in a matter of seconds.

Hinata's mind was working on overdrive._ How can Kiba-kun see while he's spinning that fast? Unless… he can't! But how can he tell where I am? _Hinata took a deep breath through her nose to clear her rapid thoughts, bringing with it the scent of the unseemly fluid staining her outerwear. _Akamaru! That's it!_

As the speed of the spinning reached a peak and the attack came at her Hinata began to shed her coat while she dodged to her right. The Inuzuka turned around after his initial miss and turned back toward the scent. Taking advantage of the brief pause in between the directional changes Hinata stripped off the soiled garment and tossed it away while heading to the tree line.

The projectile had barely made it a few feet though before the attack finally came. Although the brunt of the blow was taken by the now-shredded piece of cloth, the spiraling air still created several long gashes to form across her body, bleeding slightly. She grunted from the pain but shook it off, resolving to win her fight. The wolf continued on to drill into the ground, tearing up chunks of dirt and earth before it finally came to a stop.

The wolf that had initiated the attack turned back into Akamaru and Kiba, who was now staring in shock at the small crater while the scent of Hinata's blood was in the air. He sounded a bit sick as he jumped to conclusions about what transpired. "Oh Kami! What did I do! I told her it was a bad idea but-"

He didn't hear the shuffle of feet in time to stop her as she came up right behind him. She delivered to quick blows to the tenketsu in his shoulders. "Two palms!"

Two more blows to his arms. "Four palms!"

She delivered four powerful palm strikes into his legs. "Eight palms!"

Eight blows his lower back. "Sixteen palms!"

She spread the next blows evenly across his body, aiming for any visible tenketsu. "Thirty-two palms!"

She shouted in victory as she finished the technique, succeeding in nearly stopping Kiba's chakra flow. "**Hakke Rokujuyon Sho!"**

She watched as the boy fell to his knees, struggling to stay up. She walked around in front of him and got his attention. "Do you give up, Kiba-kun?"

He tried to give her a smile, but it came out as a grimace. "You win, Hinata-chan."

She opened the tenketsu in the damaged parts of his body, taking care to cause as little pain or jostling as possible. Eventually his chakra flow returned to normal and he staggered onto his feet, breathing heavily after the exertion of the spar.

Hinata watched on in concern as Kiba unsteadily found a place to sit, Akamaru walking behind in an equally sore manner. She made to help him until he waved her off and assuring her he was fine.

"Sayonara, Kiba-kun! I'm off to get lunch with Sakura-chan!"

She set foot towards Sakura's house, stopping as Shino held out a hand to call her over. "Hinata, your use of strategy and quick thinking was admirable. I believe that you have become a valuable asset to our team."

She felt her heart swell with pride. "Arigato, Shino-kun."

She left the clearing with the same sense of calm serenity. _Life is good._

* * *

Naruto cast a reassuring grin to the other gennin, who was clearly in doubt of her ability. "You can do it, Karu-chan. Just practice as many times as you need."

With a quick series of hand seals Karuyaka began the jutsu. "**Magen; Narakumi no Jutsu!**"

A swirl of leaves formed around Naruto, twirling around in the air about him before blowing away with the breeze. _Karu-chan's probably disappointed that her jutsu didn't work._ "Hey Karu-chan, it's okay that-"

As the words left his mouth he saw that it wasn't the brunette fangirl that he addressed, but Hinata. She had her eyes closed at first, but when she opened them her face contorted in a look of disgust and horror. "Naruto, go away!"

"Hime?"

"Don't call me that!"

He stepped towards her and reached an arm out to soothe her. "Hinata, what's wrong?"

She flinched away from his touch and whimpered slightly in fear. She let loose a terrified scream and jumped back. "Stay away you monster!"

He was sure that the pain was clear on his face, but he didn't care. _Hinata thinks I'm… _"O-okay."

"Get out of here! I'm leaving you; I can't take all the stress and fear and pain… I want you to leave here and not come back!"

Tears began to sting his eyes as they ran in rivulets down his cheeks. He almost ran away when he heard Karuyaka's voice and felt a sudden shift in reality. "Kai!"

As the genjutsu fell, Naruto dropped to the ground with tears still flowing. _Thank Kami, it wasn't real! I don't know what I'd do if I lost Hinata._

Using the back of his hands to wipe away the tears, he gazed up into the mortified face of the girl. In the back of his mind he understood why she looked so upset, as she had reduced the boy she looked up to and liked to tears. He didn't think of any of that though, as he asked "What was that technique?"

Her tone unsure and unsteady Karuyaka replied. "I-it's a genjutsu that makes a person see what they're afraid of most. I d-didn't know how effective it could be, s-since it's just a D rank jutsu."

He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, fighting back the memory it stirred of the genjutsu a minute prior. "You did great, Karu-chan. That move is really good, and I'm sure you have it in you to be great at genjutsu. You did better than I ever could have."

She froze in place from shock at the compliments before coming back to her senses. "Arigato, Naruto-kun."

"Okay, let's keep going. What's the next move you wanted to practice?"

"Naruto-kun, what did you see in the genjutsu?"

_I don't think she'll be happy to know that it was Hinata-hime leaving me…_ "I saw… I saw myself losing one of my precious people."

Naruto felt bad as he saw her face fall. _She's smarter than I give her credit for. _"Naruto-kun, how about we see Hinata… to help you forget about it."

_That must have torn her up inside… I wonder if Sakura-chan felt this bad when she dejected me. _"Sure."

* * *

Hinata gave a quick "Itadakimasu" as she tore into the proffered cinnamon roll before her, her eyes closed as she enjoyed the glazed treat. She made a pleased noise as she chewed, relishing the taste.

"So Hinata-chan, how was he?"

She coughed as she nearly choked on her food. She stared at the pink-haired girl before her with wide eyes. "Sakura-chan! Not in public!"

"What? I'm sure a quarter of the girls here want to know how he is in bed!" Honestly, Sakura didn't want to think about her loud-mouthed teammate doing things in the bedroom, but she loved teasing the bluenette.

"I, he, uh-"

"On a scale of one to ten."

She continued to stammer, unable to speak as her mind went into embarrassment overload. Channeling a small amount of chakra into her finger Sakura flicked her friend in the forehead, chuckling as Hinata spluttered out "Nine!" and turned a bright red. She chuckled even more as she saw the girls at the next table give raised eyebrows while one of them got an excited look on her face.

"Oh? So, what did you guys do?"

Hinata's voice came out as a whisper. "Sakura-chan, do we really have to talk about this now? It's bad enough when you ask at the apartment or at your house, but at a bakery?"

Sakura thought to herself, _There's no way I'm letting up! This is way too much fun!_ "Hinata-chan, you scored yourself a great guy! You should be proud to talk about how great he is!"

"Ano, he's kind, and considerate, and he listens and-"

"I meant how great he is physically."

"I don't think-"

For once, Sakura was glad to have a loud, piercing voice as she shouted, "Hinata here says that Uzumaki Naruto is great in the sack from firsthand experience!"

She looked around to see three quarters of the restaurant glaring at her, while the rest –all women- were talking excitedly or zoning out. Then she heard a thud and looked to see that the lavender-eyed heiress had fainted. _I got her to faint for the first time in two months!_ She reached over and began to eat what was left of Hinata's cinnamon bun, proud of her little accomplishment.

* * *

Kiba sat in the same spot Hinata had left him, uncomfortably rolling his sore shoulders. Akamaru had fallen asleep, resting off the pain. _Damn! Hinata can hit!_

Following the example of his canine friend, Kiba lay on his back and closed his eyes as a cool breeze blew across his face. He began to doze off, the world going black as he teetered on the edge of sleep. Suddenly his nose was filled with a pleasant scent that wafted into his nostrils and clouded what remained active of his drowsy mind. He opened his eyes to see Hinata saunter up to him.

_Wait, Hinata doesn't walk like that… and she always smells like cinnamon buns… _

He sat up again, trying to clear his head in vain. "Hinata?"

"Hello, Kiba-kun." The way she purred his name made him feel excited, yet very confused.

"I thought that you went out to lunch with Sakura."

The woman slowly licked her lips before leaning towards him. "I wanted something else to eat."

The working parts of Kiba's mind were thrown into complete disarray as he felt soft lips slam against his hungrily while arms snaked around the back of his neck. Before he knew what was happening his back was against the grass and Hinata was on top of him. "H-hinata! What about Naruto?" That's what was wrong; she loved Naruto, right?

"Who?"

If he had been able to think clearly he would have noticed what was wrong with this, but that damned scent was clouding his mind. "Your boyfriend?"

"Oh, the Kyuubi kid."

Kiba started to word a response before he was pulled into another heated kiss. He tried to get up but felt himself pinned by the surprisingly strong heiress. He winced as he noticed her pull a senbon needle from the side of his neck, a thick liquid glistening on the end. _When did she draw that? _

He tried to yell out a denial but it came as a groan. "Hinata!"

His eyes began to shut as they had been earlier, his last memory before falling asleep being that of an evilly grinning Hinata, and the faint scent of ramen and the forest.

(A/N; Wouldn't you hate me if I stopped the chapter here?)

* * *

Hinata groggily rose from the table, looking up to see the bored face of Sakura watching over her. "Hey, you're up! You've been out forever!"

"Sakura-chan?" She slowly looked around, closing her eyes to regain her bearings. "I had fun" _Except for your shouting! _"but I think I'm going to go see what Naruto-kun is doing."

"Okay Hinata-chan, I think-"

"WHERE IS THAT BITCH?" A small brown-haired girl came storming down the street, furiously looking on both sides of the road for her target. _What did they do to get someone that angry? _Hinata gasped in surprise when the angry gaze settled on her. With as much venom and scorn as she could muster she hissed "YOU!"

_What did I do to-_ Her train of thought was interrupted by an open hand to the face as she was sent reeling. The other girl spoke more quietly, but the hatred was just as intense. "What is wrong with you?"

Her pinkette friend had a vein bulging in her forehead as her infamous temper came to bear. "What's wrong with her? You're the one who just came up and started yelling at her!"

"She's the one who broke Naruto-kun's heart!"

_What? _"What do you mean? I know that I went training instead of hanging out with him, but-"

"Oh, we saw this 'training' of yours!"

Vein under threat of bursting Sakura practically growled. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Her eyebrows lowered in loathing the girl pointed at Hinata. "I bet she knows exactly what I mean!"

_What is she talking about? _"I truly don't know what you're talking about. I've been here eating lunch for the last half hour."

"Don't deny that you were making out with that guy a little bit ago! We saw you!"

She couldn't get out the words as her mind reeled, so the brunette continued her rant. "You made him cry! He saw you groping this guy and he just burst into tears! He thought you understood him –that you loved him!- and then you go and talk trash about him while you cheat on him!"

_WHAT? _"Ano, where is Naruto-kun?"

"Don't call him that! You don't deserve it! Even if I did know I wouldn't tell you!"

Hinata looked at her, with pleading eyes. "Please. I don't know what's going on, but I intend to find out."

Something in her eyes must have sold it as a small break formed in her hateful façade. "Fine! We can confront that kid we saw you with, but if he says it was you…" She let the sentence hang menacingly.

"Arigato." _Naruto-kun, please give me time to figure this out and explain it. If something happens to you… I don't know what I'd do._

* * *

**Okay! Tell me what you think!**

**That was actually my first attempt at a fight scene, so I hope it was acceptable to you guys.**

**Also, I actually had no intent of making an OC (Karuyaka) when I started this chapter, but now that I think about it I have an idea to make her an integral part of this arc and some great possible character development.**

**Hopefully the next chapter will be as good as or better than this one. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Hooray! Next Chapter!**

**This is going to be angsty, and is going to set up some relationship issues between our favorite couple. If you want action things you'll have to wait a bit, but I promise it's coming!**

Naruto sat atop the head of the Yondaime Hokage, his heart in shattered pieces. His tears still flowed freely but he had stopped the loud, racking sobs… if only so people wouldn't find him. He clenched his fists until blood ran from between his fingers. _She said she loved me. She said she loved me and I let myself feel the same way… and all that remains is pain. She was my first… well, everything! First girlfriend, first 'roommate', the first person I've been with physically. How could she do this to me? She always said that she didn't like Kiba, that she felt awkward when he looked at her. Why would she possibly choose him over me? Unless she was lying about her feelings toward Kiba…_

Naruto remained immobile; his mind filled with bitterness and anguish as he mused over everything else that Hinata might have lied about. The most recurring memory and thought was that of her calling him, 'the Kyuubi kid.' She had always told him that he was not the demon, that he was its jailor and a hero because of it. _Bullshit! She sees me as a monster just like the rest of them._

He looked down at the giant stone edifice below him. _Dad, what do I do? What would you have done? Do I forgive Hinata? Do I break it off with her? _As he felt resentment stirring in his heart the second option seemed more appealing.

* * *

Karuyaka fumed as she walked to Training Ground Eight with Sakura and Hinata in tow. _I can't believe that Naruto-kun would go for someone like Hinata! She cheated on him! What kind of person does that? But… what if she isn't lying… and that really wasn't her? _She felt her heart fill with relief as it sunk. _I'll just be that much farther from Naruto-kun. But he'll be happy, and that's all that matters. If he's happy I can't complain. _

That was one thing that set her apart from the other shallow fangirls that followed him around; while they thought he was attractive and strong, she thought that he was funny, kind and sweet. They lusted after him while she thought she loved him. And if she loved him, then his happiness was more important than hers even if it forced her to stop chasing him… but Kami help **anyone** who would hurt him. If Hinata couldn't produce anything to prove it was an imposter then the pale-eyed bitch was getting a mouthful of fist!

She tried to clear her mind and rein in control of her emotions. _It's like Naruto-kun says, anger can only make you weaker. _She had never really understood why he said that, because he was most powerful when angry… but maybe the strength comes at a price? Maybe it's better to rely on your own strength? For someone who everyone called a knucklehead, Naruto could be pretty deep. She thought back to what he had told her, like she had a lot of times.

* * *

_Naruto walked next to her, looking around the village while she continued to talk. "So Naruto, why is it that you become stronger when you're angrier?"_

"_It gives me access to the fox's chakra, but it doesn't make me stronger."_

"_What do you mean?"_

"_Let me tell you something, Karuyaka. One of my friends –one of my precious people- believed what you just said. He thought that anger and hatred made him more powerful. But it didn't; it made him forsake the people who could have helped him and made him bitter. He had great skills, and was better at ninjutsu and taijutsu than almost every other gennin, but he was weak as a ninja. He was so focused on trying to improve himself that he was less than he could have been, as a warrior and as a person. So-"_

"_Naruto-kun, I just meant you, personally."_

_He laughed embarrassedly and scratched the back of his head. "Right, gomen. Just remember what I said Karu-chan, anger can only make you weaker. You can't let it control you."_

_She would have said something back but her mind was reeling from something far more important. _He just called me Karu-chan! YES!_ Although she continued to move at the same pace externally, inside her head she was busy doing a happy dance while Naruto started to talk again._

* * *

She knew that the Academy instructors said that emotions could compromise a mission, but they also said that the bonds between friends made you strong… so maybe by holding anger against other people you not only lost focus in battle but you pushed away those around you. She wanted to slap herself in the forehead as she came to the glaringly obvious realization but thought better of it as they reached their destination.

(A/N; this was just to characterize Karuyaka, it's not important to the plot... or is it?)

She led them into the clearing to see a whining Akamaru standing over a sluggish Kiba. Hinata looked as if she was going to run up, before remembering the bad image that could give off to the irate brunette. When they reached him they saw that he was struggling to get up, and his eyes seemed to focus more when he saw Hinata. "Hinata, I needed to see you." His speech seemed slow, as if he had been drinking, but the scent of alcohol wasn't on the air.

"Kiba-kun, what happened to you?"

Before he could speak Sakura roughly shoved him back down and started using a medical jutsu to check for injuries. "You baka, lay back down. You shouldn't be doing anything until you're healed." She continued her examination before stopping. "Someone injected him with a strong sleeping agent, must have knocked him right out." She quickly laid her hands over his heart and chakra seeped from her hands into the boy's chest, eradicating the poison where she detected it.

The effects of the poison in his bloodstream starting to fade, Kiba spoke more clearly. "Hinata, earlier I was kissed by you… except it didn't smell right. It smelled completely different, and the aroma started to make me go dizzy. I don't know why but someone is impersonating you."

_Maybe Hinata wasn't lying? I just have to make sure. "_How do you know that Hinata hadn't just used something to mask her scent?"

He looked at her as if she had two heads. He laughed in disbelief as he said "Hinata's crazy about that knucklehead of hers! She'd never go for a guy like me! Besides, I don't think Hinata would stab me with a poisoned senbon needle."

Hinata gasped, while Karuyaka started to think out loud. "Maybe someone wanted Naruto-kun to see that, so that he might be separated from Hinata… but who? Some jealous fangirl?"

"So I did smell Naruto before I blacked out… shit. That can't end well.

Hinata stood up quickly and looked at Karuyaka. "Where did Naruto-kun go?"

"I don't know, he ran too fast and I couldn't catch up to him. That's why I went looking for you."

"So you have no idea where he is?"

_You're his girlfriend, not to mention that you live with him, you shouldn't need me to tell you! _"Where does he normally go when he's upset?"

The bluenette heiress had a grim look on her face as she said "Ano, I think I know where he went."

* * *

Hinata felt frantic as she ran toward the top of the Hokage Monument, her heart racing as she thought of how to explain it to him. _How do I get Naruto to see that I'm not lying? Maybe if we got Kiba-kun to… no, no Naruto-kun would be furious if he saw him. But… Naruto-kun trusts me… right? He should be willing to sit down and at least listen…_

She leapt from roof to roof, moving faster in her haste than she had in a long time. She was desperate to make sure that Naruto saw the truth; that she wouldn't lose the man she had loved for years due to the machinations of some mysterious person.

With the others lagging behind Hinata saw the blonde knucklehead sitting atop the Yondaime's head, gazing out over the city that he guarded and loved. "Naruto-kun!" She shouted, attracting his attention.

She felt like someone stabbed her in the heart when she saw Naruto's look of surprise turn to one of anger and loathing. He snapped at her, his voice having a fiery tone. "What do you want?"

"Naruto-kun, please let me explain what happened at the training ground-"

"What the hell is there to explain?"

"I know what you think you saw but please let me-"

"What I think I saw? I know what I saw; you ma**king out with another guy! A guy I thought was my friend on top of that!**" His voice took on a more demonic quality as he spoke, and his eyes were violent red slits as he glared at her.

"That wasn't me, Naruto-kun! Someone's trying to tear us apart! Why would I want to be with someone else when I have someone as amazing as you?"

"**Why? Because you could see me just as the Kyuubi, just like I heard earlier. And say you're not lying,** **who would try and break us apart, 'Hime'?**" He said his pet name for her with such condescension that it cause her to wince.

"I don't know, maybe someone who wanted to approach my father with a marriage proposal, or one of your fangirls who wants you available. Either way that was not me you saw kissing Kiba!"

"**How do I know you're not lying?**" His face was beginning to contort with anger

"Because you know me! Naruto-kun, how many times have we sat alone and talked, just the two of us. We said no secrets between us, and we shared everything! We do share everything! Naruto-kun, you have to believe me!"

His voice dripped with malice. "**How do I know you're not lying?"**

Hinata stood there as if she'd been struck, her mouth open in shock and her eyes starting to sting. Her voice came out as a whisper as she said "Naruto-kun, please… just listen"

"**Get out of here, Hinata. I don't need to deal with this.**"

"No… no. Naruto-kun, let me-"

"**Get out of here, Hinata!"**

Hinata began to cry as she fell to her knees. "Naruto-kun, please! Listen to me! I love you, and I would never, ever, do anything to hurt you!"

He let out a feral growl as he walked towards her, his body being enveloped in red chakra. He stood above her with one claw-tipped hand poised to hit her away. **"I SAID GET OUT OF HERE, HINATA!" **He made to strike her when he was sent flying by a chakra-fuelled punch.

Sakura stood protectively in front of the sobbing chunin, yelling at her teammate. "What the hell is wrong with you, baka? Hinata's telling the truth; she was eating lunch with me the whole time! When you saw what you did she was out cold!"

The brunette that had led them to Kiba stepped up next to the pinkette. "Naruto-kun, they're telling the truth."

"**Karuyaka? You saw the same thing I did, how can you believe them?**"

"Because we talked to that Kiba kid, and he said he didn't think it was her. The girl he kissed stabbed him and drugged him! Would Hinata would do that? And on top of that she was at the restaurant when I went looking for her! I didn't believe them at first either, Naruto-kun, but Hinata's not lying!"

He looked at her in shock, and then he looked at Hinata in horror. "**I… **I… oh kami…" The red chakra faded in a heartbeat, and his eyes returned to a watery blue just as fast. Naruto looked at his hand, the one which he was going to strike her with, as if it were a murderous serpent. "Hinata… I didn't know… I'm…" He turned on the spot and ran, not wanting to face the girl he had just yelled at and nearly hit. He quickly headed into the surrounding trees as if the demons of hell were on his heels. Karuyaka made to follow after him but Sakura put a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Let him go for now. The baka needs to work this out on his own. Let's just bring Hinata-chan home for now."

Hinata knelt there for several more minutes, her disbelief and hurt clear to anyone around. Rain began to fall from the dark clouds above, a sad spectator to a sadder scene. The drops of cool rainwater mixed with the warm salty tears that stained her cheeks and soaked her jacket.

She felt two reassuring arms lift her off the ground and begin to drag her away from where the blonde had run. The other girls slowly walked her home, supporting her as she shook on unsteady legs. The whole time one thought was running through her mind. _Naruto-kun doesn't trust me. Naruto-kun doesn't trust me enough to even listen to what I have to say. _

After what seemed a painful eternity they reached the apartment, slowly opening the door and leading her inside. "Hinata, how about you go lie down? Just rest for a bit and when Naruto-kun's cooled down you two can talk, okay?"

Hinata just nodded dumbly, barely noticing her surroundings as she headed to the room she shared with Naruto. As she felt her knees touch the mattress she fell exhaustedly onto the bed, her face planted in the pillows as she began to sob quietly. _Naruto-kun doesn't trust me._

(A/N; How many of you were expecting that?)

* * *

Sakura stared at Karuyaka with a raised eyebrow, the latter being completely oblivious as she was absorbed in her own thoughts. The two of them sat in Naruto's kitchen as they both tried to ignore the soft sobbing they heard through the bedroom door. "Karuyaka, was it?"

She suddenly seemed to snap to attention, looking directly at Sakura. "Hai?"

"It's obvious that you like Naruto, possibly even to him… so why are you helping Hinata?"

Without a moment's hesitation the girl said. "Because I love him."

_Oh? _"How does that make sense? If you love Naruto shouldn't you be excited that he and Hinata's relationship was going south?"

She shook her head fervently. "Ie. Hinata makes Naruto-kun happy, and that's all that matters. If he's happy with a life that doesn't involve me, then I have to accept that. Do I envy Hinata? Every day, I wake up and just wish that I could be in Hinata's shoes… but if it would hurt Naruto-kun for me to get there it would be far from worth it."

_That sounds so much like something Hinata would say… _"You have it for him bad."

She gave a wistful smile. "Hai… although I know he'll never feel the same way about me." That wistful smile turned into a pained frown.

_Kuso! I did not mean for that to happen! Quick, say something to lift her spirits! We already have enough infatuated girls crying because of Naruto! _"Karuyaka, I can easily say that if Hinata had not gotten to him first you could have had that boy in a heartbeat."

"I'm not so sure about that, but arigato."

"Not sure! Karuyaka, what does he do when his other fangirls talk to him?"

"He usually talks with this distant look like he wants to get away, and he reminds them that he loves Hinata so they can never be together."

"And with you?"

"I can tell he gets annoyed when I talk to him so much, but he's always really nice and lets me do stuff with him."

"And you're telling me that he wouldn't have liked you if you asked him before Hinata?" _I don't think Hinata appreciates it, but it's probably true. This girl would have been good with him, and I think Naruto would have fallen for her._

The smile returned as she gave a quick "Arigato."

An awkward silence settled on the room as their conversation ended. There were only two things all kunoichi could talk about; their appearance and missions. "So Karuyaka, what kind of missions have you been on?"

"My team and I have been on one B rank, four C rank, and way too many D rank… it's kind of annoying how Tsunade-sama makes us do all of those boring missions when we could be off doing things that are more important."

"Kami, you sound like Naruto. Are the D rank missions really that bad?"

She seemed a bit shy and reluctant as she answered. "Ie, but if I don't do a lot of really tough missions how can I impress Naruto-kun? I want him to be proud of me."

_Wow, and we're back on the topic of the knucklehead. _"Did Naruto ever tell you about our first mission above D rank?"

"Hai, when you protected Tazuna-san from Zabuza Momochi. He told me about that one time when I got him ramen."

"What about our mission to protect Yukie Fujikaze?"

"You mean the Daimyo? Hai, he told me the story after I watched a Princess Gale movie for the first time."

_Naruto! You're taking away everything I've got to talk about! _"What about our Chunin exams?"

"He told me about the stupid written exam you had to take, and he told me about what happened in the Forest of Death. He never got around to talking about the preliminaries or the finals though."

_Finally, some story I can tell! _"Well, after we got to the tower…" Sakura began to tell the story, embellishing on her own fight in the preliminaries of course. They continued like this well after the crying had stopped.

* * *

Naruto had run some ways from his perch on the Hokage Monument, standing alone amidst the woods that surrounded the village. _I can't believe that I did that! I almost hit Hinata!_

**Yes, kit, you did. It was quite amusing, by the way.**

_Shut the hell up you god damn fox! It wasn't 'amusing' it was terrible! I didn't even really listen to her because I was too stupid to believe her!_

**Ah, kit, if only you could see this from my point of view. It's actually quite hilarious.**

_SHUT THE HELL UP! _

Naruto recklessly punched a nearby tree, tearing of some of the bark. He continued to attack it, venting his frustrations with every blow. _What is wrong with me? I didn't even trust Hinata. It's Hinata for Kami's sake! _

He shouted as he assaulted the wood with growing intensity. All of the thoughts that had earlier filled him with rage now filled him with sorrow. _She was my first everything… and I was blind to what she was trying to tell me._

His heart leapt into his throat as he heard a soft "Naruto-kun?" He turned around and gave a smile as he saw her. "Hinata! I thought that you wouldn't come after me… that you wouldn't want to talk."

"Naruto-kun… I don't think that-"

_Don't finish that sentence! _"Hinata-hime, I am so sorry! I was the biggest teme to grace Konoha, and I was stupid, and… can you forgive me?"

The girl smiled and nodded her head. "Hai, Naruto-kun. I forgive you." She lightly stepped over to him and opened her arms for an embrace. He took a step toward her before he halted, hearing the Kyuubi's voice.

**Something's not right kit.**

_What are you talking about? It's Hinata!_

**Listen to me kit, whatever you do keep that woman away from you! **

_Why the hell should I listen to you? You just want her to stay away so you can break free while I feel heartbroken!_

**Damn it kit! Shut up and listen to me for once! How many times have I saved your sorry ass, and more importantly mine through extension?**

_That doesn't matter!_

Naruto saw the look of confusion and hurt on his girlfriend's face. He quickly rushed in with a bone-crushing hug to make up for the hesitation. He sniffed, wanting to breathe in her scent, and his vision suddenly seemed cloudy. "Hime, is this a new perfume or something?" He coughed harshly. "It's really strong."

He felt her amused smile and decided that it didn't really matter. He had his hime back, so he was happy. "Naruto-kun?"

"Hai, Hina-hime?"

"Good night." She shifted slightly in his grasp, her arms unwrapping themselves from around his back.

"What are you-" He felt a sharp pinprick in the side of his neck, quickly followed by another one. He turned sluggishly to his side to look at Hinata, and instead found and evilly grinning woman wearing an Otogakure headband. She roughly tossed him aside and he fell to the ground his body feeling like lead.

As his vision faded swiftly away Naruto heard the words "Mission accomplished. Now to return you to Orochimaru-sama."

* * *

Tsunade sat at her desk, tired from a long day of avoiding paperwork. She cast her eyes lazily about her dimly-lit office, only stopping once when she saw the painting of her kissing Shizune at the Christmas party. _I knew I should have had Naruto Rasengan it before 'she' saw it._

Shizune had insisted on hanging the embarrassing painting in her office as a reminder why she shouldn't drink. Of course it didn't stop her, but the serious vibe of the room was thrown off by the image of the drunken Hokage and her assistant beneath the mistletoe.

She continued to look at it, hoping the intensity of her glaring could burn through and destroy it. Despite her best efforts it was to no avail, so she simply looked at the book in her hand. She frowned as she noticed the empty sake bottle inside the hollowed out pages. _For once I wish the gaki would burst in here. At least that's amusing. Hell, I wish anything exciting would happen!_

She closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair when the door to her office burst open, and Raido Namiashi ran in. "Hokage-sama!"

"Hai?"

"Gai's team located an Oto nin when they were scouting through the trees. It was maybe a mile outside of Konoha."

_Damn me and my thoughts. _"Where are they?"

"They brought him back as a prisoner. They're waiting with Ibiki to hear your orders."

"Make the teme talk. I want to know what Orochimaru's lackey is doing here, and I want to know fast."

* * *

(Torture scene! It shouldn't be too bad compared to some things I've written, but you can skip it if you aren't keen on the idea.)

Ibiki Morino stood inside his Gomon Heya (Torture Chamber), staring impassively as the Oto nin winced from the pain of garrote wire constricting about his body. "Why were you hiding outside of Konoha?"

The prisoner's voice was strained as he spat out a reply. "Go to hell."

The wire tightened harder about his arms, stopping the flow of blood from the pressure and beginning to damage the muscles beneath. "Why were you hiding outside of Konoha?"

"I'm not going to tell you anything!"

Ibiki made a quick hand seal, causing the wire about his ankles to rapidly draw in before pulling out with painful slowness. The thick garrote tore the skin, the pressure applied causing even the semi-blunt object to penetrate. It quickly severed the tendons in his ankles through sheer force of constriction, causing his feet to hang limp amidst a swiftly growing pool of blood. The head of the ANBU Torture and Interrogation Force didn't bat an eyelash as he heard the sound of metal wire on bone; a sickening grinding sound that was audible through the loud screams that pierced the air. As the wire pulled out centimeter by centimeter the small shavings of bone rubbed against the flesh and muscle, causing extreme pain.

Ibiki grunted from the pain he shared with the prisoner, but asked his question. "Why were you hiding outside of Konoha?"

"I… I…"

"Too slow."

Making another hand seal, Ibiki tightened the wire around five of the prisoner's fingers. In an instant the fingers of the prisoner's right hand were crushed, the wire leaving gashes that leaked blood down the sleeves of the man's sweat-drenched shirt. His screams grew in volume, but there was no answer to his question amongst them. Deciding to be less merciful, Ibiki smashed the fingers of the other hand one at a time.

"Why were you hiding outside of Konoha?" He slowly moved his hands as if to form a seal.

"Stop! I'll tell you everything!"

Ibiki let out a sadistic smile as the tortured man told him everything he needed to know.

* * *

Tsunade listened solemnly as the scar-faced man told her everything he had forced out of the Oto nin. "He was part of a three man team sent to kidnap Naruto. The plan was to get him alone and then drug him until they could take him to one of Orochimaru's bases, where they would… experiment with him."

"So Team Gai ruined that plan when they caught their scout." It was a statement, but there was a hint of question and doubt. _Please let that be the case. I don't want to have to worry about someone coming after the gaki while he's here in the village._

"That is the problem, Tsunade-sama… their plan worked."

"What do you mean their plan worked?"

"He was left behind to cover their escape… the other two are heading away from Konoha with Naruto as we speak."

She sat there in shock, immobile as she thought about what Ibiki had said. _Kuso, gaki! I won't lose you like I lost Nawaki!_ "Get me the shinobi who formed the Sasuke Retrieval team. I want them out of here by the end of the day."

* * *

Hinata stood anxiously in the Hokage's office, looking around confusedly at the rest of the Konoha Eleven, minus Naruto and Tenten. _Why didn't Naruto return home? Was he still angry, or did he go somewhere else or… did something happen to him? Please let Naruto-kun be okay._

The Hokage sat at her desk, letting out a sigh as she looked up at them. "I know you're all wondering why you're here-"

Kiba, loud-mouthed, impatient Kiba, interjected. "You have some awesome mission for us, right?" He shut up and visibly withered as he felt the full weight of Tsunade's ire.

"Yes, you all have a mission. I need you to track down and rescue and important hostage."

Sakura was the next one to speak. "Tsunade-sama, why isn't Naruto here."

"This is a very high priority target, and someone very close to me. I want him returned as soon as possible before he is taken to his destination. This is to be treated as a mission of at least A rank."

_Why is Tsunade-sama ignoring Sakura? Why isn't Naruto-kun here?_

Kiba, having regained some of his courage with equal parts brashness, asked his questions again. "Who is it? Is it someone related to the Daimyo? Or an important clan head or-"

"It's Naruto."

Hinata felt her knees go weak as a hushed silence blanketed the room. Her body going cold, she thought to herself _Naruto-kun's been kidnapped? _

She dimly heard the door slam open. "What do you mean Naruto-kun is a hostage?"

"Karuyaka? What are you doing here?" Hinata vaguely registered the voice as belonging to Sakura.

"I wanted to know why you were suddenly called here. Hokage-sama, I demand to be put on this mission!" She saw Karuyaka step in front of her and point at the busty blonde.

"You're _demanding_ me?" If Hinata didn't feel so numb she would have been frightened by the look the Hokage was giving the young Gennin, but Karuyaka didn't back down.

"Yes! I'm not going to sit around while Naruto-kun's being carried off!"

Tsunade opened her mouth, a vein bulging on her forehead, when Ino spoke up. "Tsunade-sama, how did this happen? I mean, how could someone just kidnap Naruto in the middle of Konoha?"

_He wasn't in Konoha… he was alone, and upset… _

"Apparently they formulated some plan to get him away from everyone else, then they would drug him and take him."

Neji was the next to speak, his voice as cold as Hinata felt. "Tsunade-sama, who is 'they'?"

"A team of three shinobi from Otogakure."

"Then that means Orochimaru has Naruto."

"He will if you don't get moving soon. Are there any more questions?"

"How did they take down Naruto? He should have been able to make it back to Konoha before they got him."

"We are trying to figure that out. We have no idea so far."

_They needed him alone… away from me. They needed some way to catch him with his guard down. He ran from me into the woods, because he caught Kiba kissing… _"I know how."

"Hinata?"

"Naruto-kun was upset because he saw someone henged as me kissing Kiba-kun… someone who poisoned Kiba and knocked him unconscious. When I went to explain, Naruto got mad and nearly hit me before running away into the woods. Whoever it was must have disguised themselves as me to have him let his guard down while they poisoned him."

Tsunade nodded. "Since Hinata seems to know the most about the situation, and because she has the most reason to bring him back, I'm putting her in charge of this mission. I expect all of you," she gave a pointed look to Karuyaka that said _'You and I are going to chat later'_ "and I mean all of you, to be at the East gate in an hour. Dismissed."

* * *

**Okay, chapter's done! I feel proud for updating so quickly. **

**Now, part of me likes this chapter, but the other part of me doesn't. It's choppy, but no matter how much I try and change it I can't tell what's happening properly while making it more fluid. Either way I hope you enjoyed it.**

**So, Naruto's on his way to Orochimaru. The Sasuke Retrieval team and Karuyaka are off to get him. You have about as much of an idea what will happen as I do! I just let the story evolve naturally and see how it goes unplanned. I only know part of how it ends, that's it. Everything in the middle is fair game to change and suggestions.**

**I promise there will be a fluffier, funnier and more lighthearted arc after this one, but you can't base a good story off of solely fluff. You have to have some important plot development.**

**Ja ne!**


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